Whole Grain Wheat Flour Research Articles

Impacts of Whole-Grain Soft Red, Whole-Grain Soft White, and Refined Soft White Wheat Flour Crackers on Gastrointestinal Inflammation and the Gut Microbiota of Adult Humans.

Consumption of whole-grain wheat has been associated with positive health outcomes, but it remains unclear whether different types of wheat elicit varying effects on the gut microbiome and intestinal inflammation. The objectives of this research were to investigate the effect of two whole-grain wheat flours versus refined wheat flour on the diversity of the human gut microbiota, as well as on butyrate production capacity and gastrointestinal inflammation, using one-week dietary interventions. For this study, 28 participants were recruited, with ages ranging from 18 to 55 years and a mean BMI of 26.0 kg/m2. For four weeks, participants were provided 80 g daily servings of different wheat crackers: Week A was a run-in period of crackers made from soft white wheat flour, Week B crackers were whole-grain soft white wheat flour, Week C crackers were a wash-out period identical to Week A, and Week D crackers were whole-grain soft red wheat flour. At the end of each week, participants provided fecal samples that were analyzed for markers of intestinal inflammation, including lipocalin and calprotectin, using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays and quantitative real-time PCR. The primary outcome, gut bacterial community alpha and beta diversity, was similar across timepoints. Three taxa significantly differed in abundance following both whole-grain wheat flour interventions: Escherichia/Shigella and Acidaminococcus were significantly depleted, and Lachnospiraceae NK4A136 group was enriched. Secondary outcomes determined that protein markers of intestinal inflammation and genes related to putative butyrate production capacity were similar throughout the study period, with no significant changes. Lipocalin concentrations ranged from 14.8 to 22.6 ng/mL while calprotectin ranged from 33.2 to 62.5 ng/mL across all 4 weeks. The addition of wheat crackers to the adult human subjects' usual diet had a minimal impact on their gastrointestinal inflammation or the gut microbiota.

Wholegrain triticale sourdough: Effects of triticale:Wheat flour ratio and hydration level on bread quality.

Triticale (×Triticosecale) is a hybrid between wheat (Triticum spp.) and rye (Secale cereale), producing higher grain yields than wheat in challenging environments. Triticale grain is also highly nutritious. Thus, the potential of triticale grain for an expanded range of food applications should be explored. Sourdough bread has unique functional and nutritional properties, but understanding the effects of partial substitution of triticale for wheat flour and varying levels of dough moisture content on sourdough quality requires further research. The aim of this study was to evaluate the wholegrain flour of contrasting triticale cultivars in comparison to that of a common wheat cultivar in commercial sourdough breadmaking. Two triticale cultivars (Goanna and Hawkeye, selected from a panel of Australian genotypes) and one wheat cultivar (Scout) were grown in a field trial in northern NSW, Australia. Differences in quantitative texture and color parameters of the dough and sourdough bread resulting from (1) substitution of commercial wholemeal wheat flour with different proportions of wholegrain triticale or wholegrain wheat (Scout) flour (0%, 60%, 70%, 80%, and 90%) and (2) varying the amount of water included in the dough preparation (70%, 80%, 90%, and 100 g water/100 g flour) were determined. Replacement of wholemeal wheat flour with 60% wholegrain Goanna flour (protein content 12.76%; c.f. 11.50% for Hawkeye, 12.40% for Scout), and addition of 100 g water/100 g flour in the dough preparation gave the highest quality sourdough bread based on specific volume, texture, and color parameters and had similar properties to the control made from wheat alone.

The Bran and Grain Grinding Level Affect the Tensile Characteristics of Bioplastics Derived from Wholegrain Wheat Flours.

The mechanical performance of thermoplastic bulk samples obtained by plasticizing wheat flours differing in grain hardness, alveographic parameters, absence or presence of bran, and grinding level was assessed. Grains of four bread wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) cultivars (Altamira, Aubusson, Blasco, and Bologna) were milled with the aim of producing single-cultivar refined flour (R), or wholegrain flour with fine (F) or coarse (C) grinding. The flours were plasticized, injection molded and tested for tensile properties. The results confirmed that the presence of bran increased the strength (σ) and reduced the elongation at break (ε) of thermoplastics obtained from the flours of each cultivar. The grinding level had an effect, since σ was higher and ε was lower in F than in C samples. SEM analysis of samples revealed that the bran and its texture affected the exposure of starch granules to plasticizer. Composting experiments also revealed that the formulations are able to disintegrate within 21 days with a mass loss rate higher in plastics from F than C flours, while germination tests carried out with cress seeds indicated that it takes two months before the compost loses its phytotoxic effects. Overall, the refining and bran particle size of wheat flours, besides their gluten composition and baking properties, represent novel choice factors to be considered when tailoring the manufacturing of plastic materials for selected requirements and uses.

Effects of sourdough on rheological properties of dough, quality characteristics and staling time of wholemeal wheat croissants

The present study aimed to obtain good quality croissants from wholegrain wheat flour using baking sourdoughs prepared from single starter cultures of Pediococcus acidilactici 02P108 (PA), Pediococcus pentosaceus SM2D17 (PP) and Enteroccocus durans 09B374 (ED) as an attempt to overcome the usual negative effects of the wholegrain flour on the characteristics of this specific bakery product group. Results showed that the addition of sourdough in the wholegrain wheat dough had similar performance as that of conventional baker’s yeast regarding the rheological characteristics of dough. The dynamic viscosity of all sourdough-leavened samples remained higher than that of the control sample at all tested shear rates. A positive effect of sourdoughs used on the development of baking dough was observed in terms of specific volume improvement, higher degree of softening, and reduced baking loss. However, these positive effects were found as strain-specific. The use of Enteroccocus durans 09B374-made sourdough showed the most distinguished sensory characteristics and the best results regarding croissant staling during storage. The study demonstrated that sourdoughs used in wholemeal wheat croissant dough had positive effect on the quality characteristics and shelf-life of products. However, strain selection proved as of key importance for the successful production of wholemeal wheat croissants.

Research of quality indicators of different types of wholegrain flour

The concept of modern nutrition involves the presence of the maximum amount of nutrients, including vitamins, essential amino acids, carotenoids, natural antioxidants, minerals, phenolic and tannin compounds, organic acids, and dietary fibre, which is why the food industry is interested in developing wholegrain products based on crops such as wheat, rye, barley, triticale, buckwheat, corn, and rice. The purpose of the study is to evaluate wholegrain flour using modern production technologies and control its quality, which will lead to a new level of development in the Ukrainian food industry and ensure increased profitability of the flour milling and baking industries. Methods used in the study: theoretical – analysis, synthesis, comparison and generalisation; experimental – identification and measurement to determine the physicochemical, organic, grinding, flour-milling and baking quality indicators of wholegrain wheat flour. Characterising the experimental data of different types of wholegrain flour, it was established that the content of dry matter, crude protein, crude fat, crude fibre or fibres, mineral content, and easily hydrolysed carbohydrates (starch, hemicellulose) were in the range of 84.7-88.8%, 10.2-16.3%, 0.9-1.7%, 2.3-4.8%, 1.2-3.2%, and 77.5-84.2%, respectively. Indicators such as ash content and flour size directly depended on the grinding scheme and the integrity of all anatomical grain particles. The technology of wholegrain wheat flour production combines the advantages of existing milling methods with minimising the adverse effect on the qualitative and quantitative gluten content, which varied from 21% to 36% in wholegrain flour samples, and the gluten deformation index ranged from 53.8 to 81.7 units. The materials of the study are of practical significance and indicate the need for further research, since when assessing the quality indicators and examining the characteristics of wholegrain wheat flour, attention should be devoted to the further development of optimal technology for the production of bread from this raw material

Effects of flaxseed on the nutritional and sensory qualities of pan and Arabic flat breads

Flaxseed is a useful source of omega-3 fatty acid and many health-promoting phytochemicals. Baked products are extensively consumed in the Arabic countries. This study mainly aimed to improve the nutritional quality of pan and Arabic flat breads by adding whole and crushed flaxseed.
 The study objects were pan and Arabic flat breads wholegrain and white wheat flour with whole or crushed flaxseed at different amounts. The proximate composition, texture, color characteristics, and sensory analysis were evaluated by standard methods. 
 The fat content increased in both the white wheat flour and in the wholegrain wheat flour pan breads with 8% of crushed flaxseed. The addition of 8% of crushed flaxseed to the white wheat flour bread also increased its specific loaf volume, while the addition of 8% of whole flaxseed significantly decreased the specific loaf volume of the wholegrain wheat flour bread. Crushed flaxseed did not affect the L* values, but significantly increased the a* values in the white wheat flour pan bread. Supplementing the white wheat flour pan bread with 8% of whole flaxseed decreased the compression force, thus indicating a softer texture. 8% of whole flaxseed significantly increased fat and protein contents of the white wheat and wholegrain wheat flour pan breads. Similar trends were observed for the Arabic breads, thus proving the enhancing effect of flaxseed on the nutritional quality of these baked products. The addition of crushed flaxseed to white wheat flour Arabic bread adversely affected its appearance and crust color, as well as significantly increased its ash, fat, protein, and dietary fiber contents. However, it did not have any adverse effect on the texture, flexibility, and flavor. 
 Flaxseed grains in the amount of 8% can be recommended to produce baked products with good sensory and nutritional qualities.

The functional implications of high-amylose wholegrain wheat flours: An in vitro digestion and fermentation approach combined with metabolomics

Wheat flour is one of the most prevalent foodstuffs for human consumption, and novel strategies are underway to enhance its nutritional properties. This work evaluated wholegrain flours from bread wheat lines with different amylose/amylopectin ratios through in vitro starch digestion and large intestine fermentation. High-amylose flours presented a higher resistant starch content and lower starch hydrolysis index. Moreover, UHPLC-HRMS metabolomics was carried out to determine the profile of the resulting in vitro fermentates. The multivariate analysis highlighted distinctive profiles between the flours derived from the different lines compared to the wild type. Peptides, glycerophospholipids, polyphenols, and terpenoids were identified as the main markers of the discrimination. The high-amylose flour fermentates showed the richest bioactive profile, containing stilbenes, carotenoids, and saponins. Present findings pave the way toward applying high-amylose flours to design novel functional foods.

Genome-wide association study of lipase and esterase in wholegrain wheat flour (Triticum aestivum L.).

Lipase activity is one of the main causes of the lipid rancidity in wholegrain wheat flour, leading to its short shelf life. Genetically diverse wheat germplasm offers potential for the selection of wheat cultivars with low lipase activity for stable wholegrain end use. This study evaluated 300 European wheat cultivars harvested in 2015 and 2016 on the genetic association of lipase and esterase activities in wholegrain wheat flour. Esterase and lipase activities in wholegrain flour were measured photometrically with p-nitrophenyl butyrate and p-nitrophenyl palmitate as substrates, respectively. Both enzyme activities showed wide ranges among all cultivars within each year, with differences up to 2.5-fold. The two years showed low correlations between each other, indicating a large environmental impact on the enzyme activities. Cultivars 'Julius' and 'Bueno' were suggested to be better suited for stable wholegrain products, as they had consistently low esterase and lipase activities compared to the other cultivars. A genome-wide association study revealed associations with single nucleotide polymorphisms in genes located on the high-quality wheat genome sequence of the International Wheat Genome Sequencing Consortium. Eight and four candidate genes were tentatively proposed to be associated to esterase and lipase activity, respectively, in wholegrain flour. Our work shows esterase and lipase activities from a new perspective, that combines reverse genetics to understand the underlying causes. This study outlines the possibilities and limitations to improve lipid stability of wholegrain wheat by genomics-assisted breeding methods, thereby offering new opportunities to optimize the quality of wholegrain wheat flour and wholegrain products.

Justification of safe shelf life of whole wheat flour of various sizes, depending on the processing method

The objects of this study were wheat grain (Shortandinskaya variety, harvest 2021) and wheat grain grinding products – whole grain (whole-ground) wheat flour of coarse, medium, and fine grinds. Studies have been carried out to establish the terms of safe storage of whole-grain (whole-ground) wheat flour of various sizes. Samples of whole-grain flour of coarse, medium, and fine grinding were obtained by grinding wheat grain in a finger-type single-rotor eight-row disintegrator. The resistance to storage of samples of whole-grain wheat flour of various sizes, as well as treated with gases (nitrogen, carbon dioxide) with a concentration of 2.0 mg/l, at a pressure of P=2.0 atm for 10 minutes, was investigated. Based on the indicators of QMAFAnM, the acid number of fat, and the acidity of gas-processed and unprocessed whole-grain wheat flour of various sizes, the terms of its safe storage were established. All safety indicators were examined within three months with a frequency of every 10 days. The relationship between the size of the flour product and its stability during storage has been established. It is recommended to store unprocessed whole grain wheat flour of coarse grinding up to 50 days, medium grinding – up to 40 days, fine grinding – up to 30 days. The treatment of whole-grain flour before storage with carbon dioxide has made it possible to prolong the period of safe storage of coarse flour to 70 days, medium grinding – up to 50 days, fine grinding – up to 40 days. The best results in the preservation of whole-grain flour, depending on the size of the grind, were shown by its treatment before storage with nitrogen in comparison with similar treatment with carbon dioxide. Nitrogen treatment has made it possible to recommend the duration of safe storage of coarse flour up to 90 days, medium – up to 60 days, small – up to 50 days

Oscillatory and Thermo Rheological Studies of Wheat and Chickpea Flour Blended Doughs for Producing Arabic Flat Bread

Doughs made from blends of white wheat flour and wholegrain wheat flour mixed with chickpea flour were studied rheologically and morphologically in an effort to understand the effect of chickpea flour on the rheology of doughs. The doughs were subjected to a variety of rheological tests to understand how chickpea flour substitution affects wheat dough rheological behavior. Strain sweep, frequency sweep and temperature sweep tests were carried out. Strain sweep tests show that chickpea flour dough has a significantly strong nonlinear behavior compared to white wheat flour dough and wholegrain wheat flour dough. Frequency sweep tests show the solid like behavior of the doughs. From the theoretical analysis of strain sweep and frequency sweep experimental results, we conclude that up to 10% substitution of chickpea flour to wheat flour does not alter the doughs rheological behavior. Temperature sweep tests show that the chickpea flour dough follows zero-order gelatinization kinetics, whereas white wheat flour dough and wholegrain wheat flour doughs follow first-order gelatinization kinetics.

Influence of lutein content of marigold flowers on functional properties of baked pan bread

Lutein is a yellow plant pigment belonging to the xanthophyll family of carotenoids and widely present in marigold flowers. Lutein is an effective antioxidant that may be utilized in foods as a natural coloring pigment and functional food ingredient. The present study evaluated the effect of lutein in two types of marigold flowers belonging to the Tagetes erecta and Tagetes patula species on selected functional properties of baked pan bread. Marigold flowers dried by three different methods (oven, vacuum, freeze-drying) were incorporated into white wheat flour (WWF) and wholegrain wheat flour (WGF) bread recipes. Lutein content in marigold flower petals and baked breads were quantified using Ultra-Fast Liquid Chromatography (UFLC). Texture and color properties of baked bread crust and crumb were determined. Tagetes erecta marigold flower showed significantly higher amount of lutein, and freeze-drying process was found to be the best technique for preserving lutein in the baked products. The freeze-dried African marigold and French marigold petals had lutein content of 150.98 ± 26.87 ppm and 78.26 ± 0.66, respectively. The L* value and whiteness of baked breads decreased which led to decreasing lightness of WWF bread crumb after addition of MFP. The total color difference, ∆E, and the redness index, RI, between control WWF bread crumb and WGF bread crumb increased as the level of MFP increased in the bread formulations. The data suggest that lutein-rich ground marigold may be used as a functional food ingredient to enhance color as well as antioxidant properties of bread.

Insights into sensory and hedonic perception of wholegrain buckwheat enriched pasta

This study investigated different wholegrain wheat/wholegrain buckwheat blends to develop functional pasta with unique sensory properties. The impact of the buckwheat flour type (native or hydrothermally treated) and ratio between wholegrain wheat and buckwheat flour in pasta formulation on the sensory profiles and hedonic perception of pasta was studied. A range of techniques (principal component analysis, preference mapping, cluster analysis, penalty analysis) have evolved to combine data from sensory panel, data collected from consumers and data related to the product to provide valuable insights into the way in which sensory properties drive consumer preferences and how pasta can be design to give the sensory properties desired by the consumer. Generally, even though buckwheat flour incorporation decreased consumer acceptability, the results indicated that hydrothermal pre-treatment of buckwheat flour has promising potential to be implemented in the production process of buckwheat containing pasta, since this treatment was efficient in reducing pasta bitterness and grittiness which were negatively evaluated and strongly penalized by consumers.

Effect of psyllium fiber addition on the quality of Arabic flatbread (Pita) produced in a commercial bakery

Psyllium husk (Plantago ovata Forssk.), is an excellent source of natural soluble fiber. Arabic flatbread formulation standardized in a laboratory was scaled up for production in a commercial bakery. The water holding capacity (WHC) of wholegrain wheat flour (WGF), white wheat flour (WWF) and psyllium husk (PS) were found to be 2.9, 2.3 and 59.2 g water/g dry matter, respectively. The total dietary fiber (TDF) for WWF control bread (3.20 ± 0.23%) increased significantly to 5.62 ± 0.16 and 7.56 ± 0.18% with the addition of 3% and 5% psyllium, respectively. The corresponding soluble dietary fiber (SDF) values for these samples were 1.31 ± 0.13, 3.02 ± 0.16 and 4.15 ± 0.14%, respectively. The WWF Arabic flatbread samples also followed a similar trend for TDF and SDF contents with the addition of psyllium husk. At a level of 5% psyllium, the WWF test bread had a puncture force of 2.97 ± 0.16 N (much softer) compared with 3.40 ± 0.35 N for the WWF control bread (0% psyllium), whereas the WGF with 5% psyllium addition had a puncture force of 3.05 ± 0.19 N at the zero day of storage compared to that of 3.94 ± 0.19 N for WGF bread with no psyllium added. The major objective of this study was not only to enhance the soluble dietary fiber content in Arabic flatbread, but also to improve the consumer acceptability of this staple food of this region. Incorporation of psyllium husk did not adversely affect the objective color of crumb or overall consumer acceptability, and produced Arabic flatbread with softer texture, better flexibility (folding) and superior eating quality.

Sweet bakery products for diabetic’s diet and analysis of risk associated with selected ingredients

Diabetes is a complex, chronic illness that demands a healthy diet. The overall quality of consumed food is important for diabetics, but benefits are expected from whole grains and lower-energy food. Choice of appropriate sweet bakery product may present the problem for diabetics in meal planning. The aim of this research is to provide an overview of some opportunities for new food product development for persons with diabetes and to analyze the risks associated with selected food ingredients, which can be used. It includes identification of special requirements for controlled nutrition. Quality parameters and food product composition are determined on a formulation for muffins modified to contain ingredients recommended and safe for diabetics’ diet with lower energy value, but keeping prescribed and acceptable product quality. The research focuses on assessment of the risks analysis associated with selected ingredients on an example of muffin-like cake formulation modelling and use of wheat flour, sugars, fats, salt and some additional ingredients, milk, eggs and cocoa powder, based on experience, insight into recommendations for diabetics’ nutrition and scientifically identified indicators aimed at health protection. Methodology for the selection of the ingredients for energy-reduced muffin-like cakes with whole-grain wheat flour and cocoa, suitable for diabetics’ diet presented in the paper, can be used as a model for developing other products aimed to improve nutrition of persons with healthy food preferences or diseases. In addition, it presents an opportunity for the food industry contribution to healthy lifestyle by developing products adapted to modern dietary recommendations and target consumers group.

Evaluation of the Oxidative Stability of Wholegrain Flours Using Nontargeted Ultraperformance Liquid Chromatography Coupled with Electrospray Ionization Quadrupole Time-of-Flight (UPLC-ESI-QTOF) Metabolomics

Lipid stability is one of the major determinants of the quality of wholegrain wheat flours. Wheat grains contain a wide range of metabolites, many of which have antioxidant activities and can inhibit lipid oxidation. Metabolomics offers an opportunity for a broad understanding of the metabolite profiles of wheat germplasm resources. In this study, untargeted liquid chromatography mass spectrometry was used to investigate the metabolite diversity of 65 European wheat varieties. The wheat varieties showed various metabolite profiles. Well-known antioxidants in wheat, such as ferulic acid, α-tocopherol, secoisolariciresinol, and apigenin-diglucoside, were tentatively detected and showed variance among the wheat varieties. Partial least-squares discriminant analysis was used to identify metabolite features associated with the differential oxidative stability of 20 wheat varieties. Tentative markers suggest that, besides the known antioxidants, other compounds may be relevant in predicting the stability of the wholegrain flour, though further study is necessary. The findings build a preliminary foundation of wheat variety selection for stable wholegrain use.

Pasting properties and the baking functionality of whole‐grain wheat flour with different amylose and dietary fibers content

Twenty-five varieties of wheat were used in this study in order to determine the effect of amylose and amylopectin, as well as dietary fibers on the pasting properties and baking functionality of the whole-grain flour. The results were compared to the properties of refined wheat flour. The analyzed samples were divided into six groups based on the amylose content: (1) 11%–14%, (2) 15%–17%, (3) 18%–19%, (4) high amylose (36.5% and 41%), (5) waxy (0%), and 6) refined flour (22%). Amylose influenced viscosity by large, however, variations in pasting properties can as well be attributed to the differences in the non-starch structural components. Variations in solvent retention capacities (SRC) of flours depended primarily on the content of different fiber fractions and proteins. The starch and amylose content had a positive effect on SRC for lactic acid and sucrose, respectively. Furthermore, pasting and functionality are complex properties conditioned by different flour constituents. Novelty impact statement Whole-grain wheat flour, predominantly used in the bakery and confectionery industry, is an important food ingredient that provides a large portion of calories and protein to the everyday diet of many consumers worldwide. Wheat starches with different amylose contents, especially high amylose starches, have the potential to modify the texture and quality of end-use products by enhancing their nutritional functionality. The data on variations in pasting properties of whole-grain wheat flours, as well as their respective solvent retention capacities, can provide guidelines regarding the manufacturing of the most suitable food products from these flours.

Effect of psyllium husk addition on the instrumental texture and consumer acceptability of high-fiber wheat pan bread and buns

The consumption of recommended amount of dietary fiber is a challenge not only for most consumers but also for the food scientists to design fiber-enriched foods with acceptable eating quality, texture, color and flavor. The addition of psyllium husk (PS) significantly made the bread texture softer with increasing levels, producing the lowest compression force value (2.48 ± 0.37 N) at a 5% level. Addition of coarse wheat bran (at 10 and 20% levels) to white wheat flour (WWF) produced a significantly softer bread texture (4.65 ± 0.61 to 5.27 ± 0.32 N) compared with the harder texture with the fine wheat bran addition (5.04 ± 0.33 to 6.82 ± 0.57 N) for the control samples, respectively. When psyllium at 5% level was added to either the WWF or wholegrain wheat flour (WGF), it produced a significantly softer bread texture. Interestingly, the incorporation of diacetyl tartaric acid esters of mono- and diglyceride (DATEM) emulsifier (0.5%) in the WWF or WGF bread samples containing 5% psyllium did not significantly improve the textural properties of bread samples. When WWF + 5%PS (4.03 ± 0.12 N) buns were compared with WGF + 5%PS, the WGF +5%PS buns (7.37 ± 0.16 N) had a significantly harder texture. The results of compression force (N) and higher consumer acceptability values of these products clearly brought out the superior textural properties of wheat pan bread and buns made by this newer approach, than the common approach of using only the wholegrain wheat flour. Future studies on the effect of various wheat bran treatments, such as steaming or extrusion on the textural properties of pan bread and buns are recommended.

Development of functional foods using psyllium husk and wheat bran fractions: Phytic acid contents.

Wheat grain is a rich source of phosphorus which is present mostly as phytic acid and is distributed mainly in the bran and germ fractions. Phytic acid has now been recognized as an important phytochemical having antioxidant properties. This study deals with the determination of total as well as phytic phosphorus contents of psyllium (PS), course (CB) and fine wheat bran (FB) enriched pan bread and Arabic flat bread. The concentration of phytic acid in CB, FB, wheat germ, wholegrain wheat flour (WGF), white wheat flour (WWF), and psyllium were found to be 8.86 mg/g, 8.52 mg/g, 6.05 mg/g, 1.74 mg/g, 0.46 mg/g and 0.02 mg/g, respectively. Most of the phosphorus existed as phytic phosphorus (74.7–90.8%) in FB, CB, germ, and WGF as compared to only 42.6% in WWF. The level of phytic phosphorus in pan bread containing 10% CB, 20% FB (both containing with 5% PS) was found to be 0.63 mg/g and 1.53 mg/g respectively, as compared to only 0.34 mg/g in WWF pan bread, and 0.90 mg/g in WGF pan bread. The phytic phosphorus content in Arabic bread made with WGF and 3% psyllium was 1.32 mg/g as compared to only 0.48 mg/g in WWF Arabic flat bread. The results obtained indicate that the level of phytic phosphorus significantly increased in bread formulations containing CB, FB, and WGF, but no change with psyllium addition was observed. Adding these wheat mill fractions, and psyllium will enable bakeries not only to produce fiber-enriched pan bread and Arabic bread but would also benefit consumers to increase their dietary fiber intakes, and health-promoting phytochemicals coming from wheat bran and germ fractions.

Multigrain bread: dough rheology, quality characteristics, in vitro antioxidant and antidiabetic properties

There is an increasing emphasis on the consumption of whole grain products, moreover, unconventional and underutilized grains such as Amaranth and Acha are reported to have tremendous health benefits, and their incorporation into whole wheat flour could significantly modify the functionality of flour or its product(s). In this study, bread, an important dietary staple food; was produced from blends of whole-grain wheat, amaranth and acha flours, combined in different ratios (70:30:0, 70:0:30, 70:20:10, 70:10:20 and 70:15:15 represented by MM1, MM2, MM3, MM4 and MM5 respectively). Rheology and pasting properties of the flour blends, quality attributes, antioxidant properties, α-amylase and α-glucosidase inhibition, as well the glycaemic indices (GI) of the multigrain breads were evaluated using standard methods. Whole wheat flour supplementation with amaranth flour and/or acha flour, modified the rheology and pasting properties of composite flours, increased the ash, fibre and protein contents of bread while reducing the carbohydrate content. Multigrain breads also exhibited significant hydroxyl (OH) radical scavenging ability, Fe2+ chelation and inhibit of Fe2+- induced lipid peroxidation. Bread with greater amaranth flour substitution (MM1B and MM4B) have higher α-amylase (IC50 = 1.90, 1.41 mg/mL) and α-glucosidase (IC50 = 0.83, 1.39 mg/mL) inhibitory abilities, while multigrain breads generally possessed low GI (42–51) value whereas, white flour bread (control) had intermediate GI (65). The synergistic properties contributed by the grains may have conferred on the bread its potential as a dietary product for better health maintenance, thus, multigrain bread is of greater dietary and health importance than white bread.

Chemical, antioxidant and sensory properties of pasta from fractionated whole wheat and Bambara groundnut flour

Pasta from whole-grain wheat is highly nutritious but has poor sensory properties. Hence, this study prepared pasta from fractionated whole-grain wheat flour enriched with 20% Bambara groundnut. The chemical, antioxidant and sensory properties of the pasta were assessed using standard methods. The fat, protein, ash contents, lightness and antioxidant properties value of the flour and pasta increased, while carbohydrate and fibre contents decreased with a reduction in particle size from 500 μm to 112 μm. Potassium (246.50–249.00 mg/kg), calcium (223.50–254.00 mg/kg) and magnesium (184.50–192.00 mg/kg) were the major mineral element in the pasta samples, while zinc (1.00–2.00 mg/kg) and iron (3.50–13.00 mg/kg) are present in small quantities. The optimum cooking time of pasta (average 6.55 min) from the fractionated flours was shorter compared to the control pasta (pasta made from unfractionated wheat flour), but the cooking loss was not significantly affected. Pasta from flour with particle sizes of 300 and 112 μm were very similar in their sensory attributes and showed the highest ratings in overall acceptability. Fractionation of whole-grain wheat flour seems very promising in producing pasta with fairly good antioxidant potentials and high level of protein and fibre to improve the health of pasta-loving individuals.